Multi-colored vehicle rear lamp

ABSTRACT

A lamp for the rear of a vehicle is disclosed with a light transmissive cover having a red first illuminated surface area and a clear second illuminated surface area. It has a first LED light emitter located directly beneath the red first area, a second LED light emitter located directly beneath the clear second area, and a third LED light emitter, also located directly beneath said clear second area. The third red LED light emitter is for emitting red light through the clear second area simultaneously with light transmitted through the red first area, whereby the first and second areas are adapted to collectively form a contiguous red illuminated surface area.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to lamps, an more specifically to such lamps used on the rear of vehicles.

Rear lamps on vehicles are governed by regulations, in the U.S. and other countries. These include, for example in the U.S.A., 49 C.F.R. Sec. 571. These may generally include one or more requirements regarding candela, illuminated surface area, placement, and other attributes, normally grouped by various function or location. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, FMVSS 108, in Part 571.108 of the Code of Federal Regulation Title 49, specify that vehicles over 2032 mm wide are required to have stop lamp with a lens area (Effective Projected Luminous Lens Area (EPLLA)) of at least 75 square centimeters. Other vehicles EPLLA requirements vary. The area for cars need be at least 59 square centimeters. A circular stop lamp used on a large trailer today will be approximately 10 cm in diameter or about 78.5 square cm of area. This may be met, for example, with a standard nominal 4 inch or 10 cm diameter circular lamp, meaning the housing is also circular and has a diameter of about ten (10) centimeters (or about 4 to 4½ inches), or with an oval shaped lamp, meaning that the housing is also oval. The size and shape of such oval housing may vary, but a typical example may be an oval with dimensions of about 2½ inches tall and about 6¾ inches wide. As shown here it is desirable to meet illuminated surface area requirements or goals while providing an arrangement that is more space efficient. Various stop-tail-turn (STT) lamps used LEDs with a large lamp with separate cavities or other areas, such as one cavity for the STT functions and another for other functions, such as a dedicated white LED backup light. Other LED STT lamps use additive chromatic effects to alter color patterns. Also, separate dedicated lamps, such as separate white LED back-up (or reverse) lamps, have been used. While each approach has various pros and cons, they do not provide the arrangements and advantages of the present claimed designs.

Thus, there is a need for improvement in this field.

SUMMARY

The invention is set forth by the claims and only the claims. Generally, it can be summarized as a lamp for the rear of a vehicle with a light transmissive cover having a red first illuminated surface area and a clear second illuminated surface area. The lamp includes, but is not limited to, is a first LED light emitter located directly beneath the red first area. There also is included a white second LED light emitter located directly beneath the clear second area. Also, there is included a third red LED light emitter, also located directly beneath said clear second area. The third red LED light emitter for emitting red light through the clear second area simultaneously with light transmitted through there red first area, whereby the first and second areas are adapted to collectively form a contiguous red illuminated surface area.

The invention solves the problem of meeting illuminated surface area requirements or goals while providing an arrangement that is more space efficient. It also may provide greater flexibility for lamp design while meeting standards, with such flexibility being available for varied and/or improved aesthetic design. Further forms, objects, features, aspects, benefits, advantages, and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description and drawings provided herewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear elevation view (when mounted) of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view (albeit hidden when mounted) of a first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a first embodiment, symmetrically showing the top and bottom plan view when mounted.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a first embodiment, symmetrically showing the right and left elevation view when mounted.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a full sectional view of a first embodiment taken along a Z-X plane.

FIG. 7 is an exploded top perspective view of a first embodiment.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are a rear elevation view of a second embodiment.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are a rear elevation view of a third embodiment.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are a elevation plan view of a fourth embodiment.

FIGS. 11A-E are conceptual diagrams of example of lighting configurations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SELECTED EMBODIMENTS

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. One embodiment of the invention is shown in greater detail, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some features that are not relevant to the present invention may not be shown for the sake of clarity.

Referring to FIGS. 1-11E, some examples of the invention are shown. Note that one such example, as shown in FIGS. 1-5, illustrates an ornamental design for a vehicle lamp as shown. In that regard, optionally portions of the “front” of such lamp installed lamp (FIG. 2) may be shown in phantom lines, being normally out of sight when that portion of that lamp is mounted on a vehicle.

Various examples are shown with similar reference figures, but with the hundred's digit prefix otherwise varied. Hence, in the drawings FIGS. 1-7 show lamp 100, FIGS. 8A and 8B show lamp 200, FIGS. 9A and 9B show lamp 300, and FIGS. 10A and 10B show lamp 400. Otherwise, the reference characters in the ten's and one's digits, when the same, are the same or similar. These illustrate, a lamp 100, 200, 300, 400 for the rear of a vehicle (not shown). The lamp includes a light transmissive cover having a first illuminated surface area 1, 101, 201, 301, 401 and a second illuminated surface area 2, 102, 202, 302, 402. The first area of the cover is light transmissive and red in color. There is one or more first LED light emitter 110, 210, 310, 410 located directly beneath the first area of the cover. Normally, one or more such first light emitters is red in color, but other optional colors, such as white, or color combinations are optional.

The second area 2, 102, 202, 302, 402 of the cover is also light transmissive and is clear in color. Moreover, there is one or more second light emitter 120, 220, 320, 420 located directly beneath the clear second area. The second light emitter comprises an LED that emits white light. Alternatively, the second light emitter may comprise an emitter, such as an LED, that emits amber light, such as for example upon the activation of a turn indicator.

Additionally, one or more third light emitter 130, 230, 330, 430 located directly beneath the clear second area. The third light emitter emitting comprises an LED for emitting red light through the clear second area simultaneously with light transmitted through the red first area, whereby the first and second areas are adapted to collectively form a contiguous red illuminated surface area. The lamp does not have motors or moving parts. The covers, and their first and second areas, and the LEDs are fixed and non-movable.

FIGS. 11A-E show, conceptually, some various illumination combinations. These are not the only possible combinations, and merely are examples. The reference character convention therein has power source, P₁, P₂, P₃, such as electricity and/or their controller(s). When such power source is activated, in FIGS. 11A-D, it is shown encircled. Upon activation, one or more of the light emitters, L₁, L₂, L₃, such as LEDs, emit light. Cover 1 (red) and cover 2 (clear) are shown, covering in the Z-axis, the various light emitters. Upon activation, one or more of the light emitters, L₁, L₂, L₃, cause red light R₁, red light R₃, and/or white light W₁, to be emitted from the lamp. Alternatively, white light W₁ may be substituted with (or also have in addition) an amber light (not shown). For example, the shading of the first area and/or the second area, in FIGS. 8A-10B, indicate red light emitted from that area. Thus, for example, the conceptually illumination shown in FIG. 11A corresponds to the red illuminated shading of only first red areas 201, 301 and 401 in FIGS. 8A, 9A and 10A, respectively. And, for example, the conceptually illumination shown in FIGS. 11D and/or 11E corresponds to the red illuminated shading of both first red areas 201, 301 and 401 as well as red light from second clear areas 202, 302 and 402 in FIGS. 8B, 9B and 10B, respectively.

While the example of FIGS. 1-7 shows six first light emitters (three on each of two sides), two second (white) light emitters, and two third (red) light emitters, more or less of each may be used. Also, there may be more than one red first area(s) and/or more than one second clear area(s) of the cover of the lamp. Also, other non-LED light emitters, such as incandescent bulbs or other devices that emit light may be substituted, although the preferred designs use LEDs.

Optionally, the lamp is a stop-tail-turn lamp for a vehicle and wherein the sum of the first illuminated surface area 101, 201, 301, 401 and the second illuminated surface area 102, 202, 302, 402 is at least fifty (50) square centimeters, and more preferably is at least seventy-five (75) square centimeters and less than 100 square centimeters, and more preferably is less than 85 square centimeters. However, other collective illuminated surface areas are possible, per 49 C.F.R. §571.108, such as for a stop lamp for a motorcycle at least 5000 square millimeters (and preferably, but optionally, less than 8,000 square millimeters). For other vehicles less than 2032 millimeters in overall width, for stop lights in a single or combined compartment light, the collective illuminated surface area preferably is at least 5000 square millimeters (and preferably, but optionally, less than 8,000 square millimeters).

Optionally, the various emitters are activated upon one or more various events. For example, optionally the lamp may have the white second light emitter 120, 220, 320, 420 is activated upon the vehicle being placed in reverse. Optionally, although not normally, the red third light emitter 130, 230, 330, 430 may be de-activated upon the vehicle being placed in reverse. Preferably, however, such second and third light emitters are on concurrently (see e.g. FIG. 11E). Also, optionally, the red third light emitter 130, 230, 330, 430 is activated upon the vehicle braking. More commonly, however, as discussed below regarding light intensity, the first and third emitters, both normally red, are both activated in tail lamp mode, and are still activated, but emit brighter light, during braking or stop mode. Likewise, even if the headlamps are off and/or the first and third lamps are otherwise not in tail lamp mode, during braking or stop mode preferably they are activated and of the brighter, stop lamp, intensity.

Optionally, the lamp may comprises a fourth light emitter (not shown) located directly beneath the clear second area 2, 102, 202, 302, 402 and, wherein the fourth light emitter comprises an LED that emits amber light. This may be used for a flasher and/or turn signal, emitting light from the clear second area. For example, the amber LED is in that case activated upon the corresponding turn signal (left or right) being activated.

A variety of shapes and sizes (in addition to the area ranges above) of the lamp are possible. For example, optionally, the lamp is shaped from a group consisting of: a circle (including optionally a circle with a diameter of about 10 centimeters)(FIGS. 8A, 8B, 10A, 10B); and, an oval (FIGS. 1-7, and in particular FIG. 1). It may be square, elliptical, rectangular (FIGS. 9A and 9B), irregular, or otherwise. Typically, the lamp will have a housing, such as housing 106, and one or more circuit boards, such as circuit board 107.

Optionally, the lamp has no reflector(s), such as for example, parabolic reflector(s), and no barrier wall(s) between the first light emitter(s) and the third light emitter(s) (see e.g. FIGS. 6, 7 and 11A-E). Optionally, not having such reflector(s) and/or walls may pertain as between the first and second light emitter(s) and/or between the second and third emitter(s). The reverse is also true in that, optionally, one may include reflector(s) and/or barrier walls between any of such combination(s) of light emitters.

Optionally, the lamp may be a single compartment lamp or may be a multiple compartment lamp.

Also, optionally the intensity of the various emitted light(s) may be varied. For example, the red light from area 101, 201, 301, 401 (and/or from area 102, 202, 302, 402) may be lower intensity in tail light mode, when the vehicle head lamps are activated, and higher intensity when braking. The red first light emitter and the red third light emitter may optionally each be activated upon the vehicle head lamps being activated. Also, the red first light emitter and the red third light emitter optionally may each emit brighter light upon the vehicle braking. Such intensity may, for example, be achieved by powering additional light emitters and/or by controller the amount of power to the light emitters (by resistors, diodes or otherwise) in the first area 101, 201, 301, 401 and/or area 102, 202, 302, 402. Other features, as are conventional, may of course be provided such as power conductors 108 (FIG. 7) and otherwise.

As used in the claims and the specification, the following terms have the following definitions:

The term “activated upon” here means supplied with electrical power caused by, or in response to, (directly or indirectly) some other event or signal.

The term “amber” here means that color such as typically seen in a turn signal. The term “clear” here means substantially non-colored so as to be capable of transmitting substantially white light. Clear here includes not only crystal clear material, but also milky white material. Clear here includes not only transparent material, but also translucent material. Clear also includes material with or without lenses, ridges and prisms.

The term “color” here means the predominant light color (for example, red, amber, white, blue, green, yellow, purple, or otherwise) even if it is blended with some non-predominant light wave or frequency light.

The term “cover” here means something which is over, in the Z-axis direction, some other structure. It includes one-piece parts, multi-piece parts, and multi-piece parts fused or otherwise attached to each other.

The term “contiguous” here means adjacent or side by side.

The term “directly beneath” here means under something else (with or without intervening structure) in a Z-axis direction. Within that meaning, “directly” is not limited to any distance, close or far, such as between light emitter and lens.

The term “Illuminated surface area” here means, per 49 C.F.R. §571.108, the Effective projected luminous lens area (EPLLA), which means the area of the orthogonal projection of the effective light-emitting surface of a lamp on a plane perpendicular to a defined direction relative to the axis of reference. Unless otherwise specified, the direction is coincident with the axis of reference, namely here the Z-axis.

The term “LED” here means light emitting diode, including single diodes as well as arrays of LED's and/or grouped light emitting diodes. This can include the die and/or and LED film or other laminate, LED packages, said packages may include encapsulating material around a die, and the material, typically transparent, may or may not have color tinting and/or may or may not have a colored sub-cover. An LED can be a variety of colors, shapes, sizes and designs, including with or without heat sinking, lenses, or reflectors, built into a package.

The term “light” here means light which is visible to the naked human eye.

The term “light color” here means the predominant light color visible to the naked human eye (for example, red, amber, white, blue, green, yellow, purple, or otherwise) even if it is blended with some non-predominant light wave or frequency light.

The term “light emitter” here means a device or devices which when electrically energized give off light, such as a bulb or an LED, alone, in groups or rays or otherwise.

The term “light transmissive” here means permitting light to pass through it, such as being transparent, translucent, with or without tint, lenses, ridges and/or prisms.

The term, “multiple compartment lamp” here means, per 49 C.F.R. §571.108, a device which gives its indication by two or more separately lighted areas which are joined by one or more common parts, such as a housing or lens.

The term “red” here means that color such as typically seen in a STT.

The term “reverse” here means in the sense of placing a vehicle in reverse, or backwards, typically by engaging its transmission to move rearward.

The term “shaped” here means its geometric profile viewed from a Z-axis direction.

The term, “single compartment lamp” here means a lamp device which is not a multiple compartment lamp.

The terms “stop-tail-turn” lamp or “STT” here means a lamp which is compliant with present legal and/or regulatory requirements in this country such as illuminated surface area, candela, and otherwise.

The term “surrounded” here means around at least three quarters of something else (see e.g. FIGS. 8A, 10A). Fully surrounded here means 360 degrees around something else (see e.g. FIGS. 1, 8A).

The term “transmitted through” here means light after it has passed through a light transmissive member or members.

The term “vehicle” here means a self-propelled or towed device for transportation, including without limitation, car, truck, bus, boat, tank or other military vehicle, airplane, truck trailer, truck cab, boat trailer, other trailer, emergency vehicle, and motorcycle.

The term “vehicle braking” here means in response to, directly or indirectly, applying a vehicle's foot brake to slow or stop the vehicle.

The term “X-axis” here means the geometric axis that is perpendicular to the Z-axis and the Y-axis, normally horizontal when the lamp is mounted to a vehicle. Note, for example, in FIG. 1 the lamp is depicted horizontally, with the X-axis horizontally (see FIG. 5). However, the lamp may be mounted otherwise, such as rotated ninety degrees in a vertical orientation, in which case the X-axis and Y-axis are interchanged.

The term “Y-axis” here means the geometric axis that is perpendicular to the Z-axis and the X-axis, normally vertical when the lamp is mounted to a vehicle.

The term “Z-axis” here means the axis of reference, per 49 C.F.R. §571.108, namely the characteristic axis of the lamp for use as the direction of reference (H=0°, V=0°) for angles of field for photometric measurements and for installing the lamp on the vehicle.

Articles and phases such as, “the”, “a”, “an”, “at least one”, and “a first”, are not limited to mean only one, but rather are inclusive and open ended to also include, optionally, two or more of such elements. In terms of the meaning of words herein, literally different elements or words in dependent claims are not superfluous, and have different meaning and are not to be imported or implied or synonymous with elements or words in the claims from which they depend.

The language used in the claims and the written description and in the above definitions is to only have its plain and ordinary meaning, except for terms explicitly defined above. Such plain and ordinary meaning is defined here as inclusive of all consistent dictionary definitions from the most recently published (on the filing date of this document) general purpose Webster's dictionaries and Random House dictionaries.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes, equivalents, and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventions defined by following claims are desired to be protected. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference and set forth in its entirety herein. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A lamp for the rear of a vehicle, including: a light transmissive cover having a first illuminated surface area and a second illuminated surface area; (a) said first area of said cover being light transmissive and being red in color; (1) a first light emitter located directly beneath said first area; (b) said second area being light transmissive and being clear in color; (2) a second light emitter, separate from said first light emitter, located directly beneath said clear second area and not located beneath said first area, and, wherein said second light emitter emits white light when activated; and (3) a third light emitter, separate from said first and said second light emitters, located directly beneath said clear second area and not located beneath said first area, wherein said third light emitter emits red light through said clear second area when activated; wherein said first and third light emitters are operable simultaneously so as to present said first and second illuminated surface areas as a contiguous red illuminated surface area.
 2. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said first and third light emitters can be activated and de-activated independently of said second light emitter.
 3. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said first and second light emitters are operable simultaneously.
 4. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said first light emitter can be activated and de-activated independently of said third light emitter.
 5. A method of using the lamp of claim 1, comprising: emitting light from the first light emitter through the first area of the light transmissive cover; and simultaneously emitting red light from the third light emitter through the clear second area so as to form a contiguous red illuminated surface across the first and second areas of light transmissive cover.
 6. A method of using the lamp of claim 1, comprising: emitting light from the first light emitter through the first area of the light transmissive cover; and simultaneously emitting white light from the second light emitter through the clear second area.
 7. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said first light emitter emits red light.
 8. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said first light emitter emits white light.
 9. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said first light emitter comprises a plurality of LEDs, and wherein said plurality of LEDs surround said second light emitter and said third light emitter.
 10. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said cover has multiple parts.
 11. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said lamp is free of a reflector.
 12. A lamp for the rear of a vehicle, including: a light transmissive cover having a first illuminated surface area and a second illuminated surface area; (a) said first area of said cover being light transmissive and being red in color; (1) a first light emitter located directly beneath said first area; (b) said second area being light transmissive and being clear in color; (2) a second light emitter, separate from said first light emitter, located directly beneath said clear second area and not located beneath said first area, and, wherein said second light emitter emits white light when activated; and (3) a third light emitter, separate from said first and said second light emitters, located directly beneath said clear second area and not located beneath said first area, wherein said third light emitter emits red light through said clear second area when activated; wherein said lamp is operable in at least a tail lamp mode and a brake mode; wherein said first light emitter is activated and said third light emitter is not activated in said tail lamp mode; and wherein said first and third light emitters are both activated in said brake mode.
 13. The lamp of claim 12, wherein said lamp is operable in a reverse mode wherein said second light emitter is activated; and wherein said first light emitter is activated or becomes brighter when the vehicle's brakes are applied.
 14. The lamp of claim 13, wherein said third light emitter is not activated in said reverse mode. 